Child Sexual Abuse: Recognizing
the Problem

Child sexual abuse is frighteningly common all over the world and in all socio-economic groups: Despite of high rate of non-disclosure and difficulty in substantiating child molestation, statistics shows that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys are molested before they reach 18 years of age.

Molested children are left
bewildered and devastated; unable to narrate the incidence to anyone for fear,
shame and loss of faith.

Child molestation is usually done by a trusted
significant adult from child’s intimate environment.

Children’s psycho
social development does not accept sexual stimulation. Intimidated older
children, who understand that sexual exploitation is wrong, are trapped between
affection and loyalty towards the abuser.

Several agencies are
working for prevention of child molestationbut yet it is widely prevalent.
Available statistics sum up to about one child sexual abuse every minute
somewhere in our world.

Though proclaimed
criminal activity, more than 60 percent of the cases are never reported and
even when reported majority of the offenders escape legal sentence.

Child sexual abuse: Perpetrator’s
manipulation process

Perpetrator manipulates
child, a minor who is unable to give informed consent, for self-sexual gratification
in any form and extent.

The inequality of age and built between the abuser and
the abused is significant. Thereby the perpetrator with his/her authoritative
position and emotional bond tricks, forces or intimidates the child into desired
sexual activity. He/she may even use the child to create child
pornography.

Violence is usually not involved in child
molestation. Gifts, care and intense attention are given to win confidence and
have easy and frequent opportunities to be alone with the child.

Once sexually
abused, the child is sternly warned from sharing the secret incident with
anyone else.

Scared and powerless in face perpetrators repeated demands, the
child is abused repeatedly with increasing invasiveness and over months before
anyone can sense the ongoing hideous activity that leaves a permanent mark on the developing brain.

Child to child abuse
and inter sibling sexual abuse also do occur, which are commonly dismissed by
most as children’s harmless play. An older child, usually a teenager, tries it
on a younger children to satisfy his/her own sexual curiosity.

Does sexual abuse of children occur in single child setting?

Majority of times
child molestation occurs with one perpetrator and one child unit, but in a
quarter of reported cases pre puberty children between age 6 and 11 years were
sexually abused in group of victims setting.

What are the warning
signs of child sexual abuse?

Parents,
teachers, care takers and all sensitive adults in child’s environment do easily
pick several significant clues that indicate all is not well with the child. Usual child parenting concept that children often behave outlandishly makes us overlook
important warning signs of child molestation:

Hesitant to talk
about the day; experiences and disappointments as children usually do.